Garoppolo, Lora, Seibert Named To Fab Fifty Offensive Unit.

Published on January 15 2014 12:03 pm
Last Updated on January 15 2014 12:03 pm
Written by Millie Lange

CHICAGO - The best 50 student-athletes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision have been named to the College Sporting News 2013 Fabulous Fifty FCS All-America Team. Five players won the annual awards, the head coach of the year was announced among other honors. A coach and an additional 25 players received enough votes to be earn honorable mention.

Jimmy Garoppolo, Erik Lora Collin Seibert was all named to the Fab Fifty Offensive Unit.

Garoppolo was the 2013 Walter Payton Award winner as he earned first team All-American honors this season. Garoppolo led all quarterbacks with 5,050 yards passing and 53 touchdowns. The passing total was second all-time on the FCS single season list while the 53 touchdowns were the third most in FCS single season history. Garoppolo finished his career holding every EIU and Ohio Valley Conference passing record and ranked sixth on the FCS career touchdown passes list and seventh on the career passing yards list.

Lora earned first team All-American honors for the second straight year becoming the first EIU player to accomplish that feat since John Jurkovic did so in 1988 and 1989. Lora hauled in 123 passes for 1,544 yards and 19 touchdowns. His 123 receptions rank third on the FCS single season list and 13 shy of his FCS single season record set last season. Lora ended his career as the EIU and OVC leader in pass receptions and receiving yards. He owns the EIU and OVC single season records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions. He finished his career second on the FCS receptions chart.

Seibert anchored an offensive line that helped the high powered Panther offense rank in the top three in the nation in scoring offense, passing offense and total offense the entire season. He graded out at over 92 percent for the season and the team ranked in the top ten in fewest number of tackles for loss allowed this season. EIU's offense finished the year averaging 589.5 yards per game which ranks as the third best single season total in FCS history. The Panthers 48.2 points per game average ranked fifth all-time in FCS history.

Also highlighted this year were the three major awards, for top coach, offensive and defensive players for the first time named in honor of the FCS legends Coach Roy Kidd, Adrian "AP" Peterson and James "Boomer" Grigsby.

COLLEGE SPORTING NEWS 2013 "FAB FIFTY" ALL-AMERICAN TEAM

The Roy Kidd FCS Coach of the Year Award: Craig Bohl, North Dakota StateThe Adrian "AP" Peterson FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern IllinoisThe James "Boomer" Grigsby FCS Defensive Player of the Year Award: Brad Daly, DE, Montana StateOffensive Lineman Of The Year: Billy Turner, OT, North Dakota StateSpecial Teams Player Of The Year: Xavier Roberson, KR, Southeastern LouisianaFreshmen Of The Year: Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern WashingtonPlayoff MVP: Brock Jensen, QB, North Dakota State